Top 10 Reasons Why Kanye West is a Brilliant Musician

marmalade_skies
I'm not saying the man is a genius, or that he's Jesus or that he's above all other artists, but he has displayed many talents in his music which should not be ignored.

The Top TenXW

1He constantly changes his sound

Many artists get into the rut of finding a formula that works for them and then repeating it until it gets old. With Kanye West, each of his albums are distinctly different and he never gets complacent in his production. - marmalade_skies

I'm not a fan but this is actually a good list! - FavoriteFightingFrenchman

2He incorporated other genres into rap

He's sampled R&B, Soul, Funk and a litany of other genres. They add a soothing sound to complement the harshness of rap, but they can also add a variety of emotions to the song. He keeps his ear out for many indie and obscure artists and exposes their music to the mainstream. - marmalade_skies

3He revived conscious rap

With Late Registration and College Dropout, his lyrics were largely spoken-word poems about societal issues such as consumerism, racial relations. He also boosted the careers of Mos Def, Common and such. - marmalade_skies

4He released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

This was one of the flagship rap albums of its decade. It came out amidst a financial crisis and a polarized government. Admiration toward the glamor of the rich and famous turned into disgust over its excesses, and this album lyrically embodies that. The production of the album was robust, exuberant, comprehensive and arguably flawless. - marmalade_skies

With Drake and such rising in the 2010's, many rap songs are about relationships and they incorporate an autotune. This was once seen as too weak and effeminate for a male rap artist to do until Kanye West released 808's & Heartbreak, which expressed his melancholy over the death of his mother and a breakup in the same year. - marmalade_skies

6His voice is an instrument

There was a ted talk on this I think. - marmalade_skies

7He diversified the genre

He opened the door so that people who didn't grow up in the hood can be a part of rap so long as they made good music. - marmalade_skies

8He's an anti-hero who is honest about his faults

In music, many artists try to be role models or try to downplay their flaws, but Kanye West spares the pretention and embraces his social awkwardness, immaturity and mania. Sometimes, I want songs that relate to my strengths, but other times I want songs that can relate to my weaknesses - marmalade_skies

9He takes big sonic risks

His 2013 album Yeezus was an industrial-punk with lots of EDM subgenres incorporated in. It was profane, harsh, abrasive and it polarized many fans. But his willingness to experiment with different sounds is notable. - marmalade_skies

10He ended the era of gangsta rap

Him outselling 50 Cent was the turning point. While NWA, Tupac and such were innovative for their time, gangsta rap was starting to get old so his earlier albums were much different than the trends at the time. - marmalade_skies